Can anything be described as 'very real'? There are so many obstacles on the way to writing clear, precise ('accurate'?) English ('english'?) that it is a wonder ('wander'?) anyone ('any one' or 'anyone'?) can be understood. Fortunately, all those who have ever feared being shown up by using one of the twenty worst words and phrases to be avoided at all costs, or confusing the complex with the complicated, can now relax and even enjoy a trouble-shooting guide to good writing. Trask's wonderfully readable and authoritative book adjudicates on hundreds of contentious issues from politically correct language to whether to write 'napkin' or 'serviette'.
| ||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Larry Trask is the author of such well-received books as The Penguin Guide to Punctuation and The Penguin Dictionary of English Grammar. He was born in western New York State in 1944 and came to England in 1970. He now teaches at the School of Cognitive and Computing Sciences at the University of Sussex.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A compendium of English words that are all-too-often misused or confused,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Say What You Mean!: A Troubleshooter's Guide to English Style & Usage (Hardcover)
The highly skilled and experienced linguist R.L. Trask offers no-nonsense vocabulary advice Say What You Mean!: A Troubleshooter's Guide To English Style & Usage.. Structured like a dictionary, Say What You Mean! is specifically a compendium of English words that are all-too-often misused or confused - such as "sped" vs. "speeded", and the proper usage of "Sir" or "Dame" - these titles may be used with the full name or just first name, but using them with the last name only is improper! Although particularly useful for British English speakers adjusting to American English spellings and definitions and vice-versa, Say What You Mean! is an utterly invaluable reference and serious-minded writers of all formats are enthusiastically recommended to peruse Say What You Mean! cover to cover in order to avoid common mistakes and misconceptions.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
